While I don't really follow or keep up with the "it's xyz national food day," I feel like National Doughnut Day should have been on my calender.

It came + went this past Friday and I completely missed it.

How could this possibly have happened?? And it was the husband who let me know!

I'm blaming it on my breakfast Friday excitement. Doughnuts were not even on my radar!

I'm hoping that this recipe makes up for it.

And I'm hoping you are as in love with the maple + sea salt combination as I am.

The doughnuts are infused with pure maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon. They're coated with a maple glaze + a pinch of sea salt on top. If you're worried about the texture being too muffin-like or cake-like you can set your worries aside. These have a very unique cake-doughnut like texture that you will surely love.

Don't have a doughnut pan? Feel free to bake these in a muffin pan with liners. The texture won't change a bit!

Simple + so very satisfying.

This is by far one of the most popular doughnuts in the book! This is coming straight from the mouths of my lovely taste-testing crowd. I actually made a private doughnut group on facebook for friends + family in the area. I used it to update everyone what doughnuts would be available for pickup that day and at what time. Everyone showed up around 5pm with empty tupperware containers ready to fill up. It worked out quite perfectly.

I like the looks of the thick glaze but prefer to eat the thinly glazed version. Either way they're quite delicious and you always have the option of making some of each!

In another bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the milk, applesauce, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a large wooden spoon until just combined, being careful not to overmix (stop when you no longer see dry flour).

Spoon the batter into the doughnut molds filling to just below the top of each mold, 1/8” to 1/4” from the top.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Slide a thin spatula around the edges of the doughnuts to help loosen them out, then place on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before topping.

Stir the glaze ingredients together with a fork until fully combined. Add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired.

Invert the doughnut into the glaze letting the excess drip off, or drizzle the glaze over the doughnut.

Top with a sprinkle of sea salt and let set until hardened.

notes/subs: Sub [non-gmo] sunflower, safflower, or canola oil instead of the coconut oil if desired. Sub 2% milk or unsweetened soy milk for the almond milk if desired. I do not recommend subbing the almond meal or sweet rice flour for any other flours. If you are unable to tolerate oat flour sub in a high-quality gluten-free all purpose blend for the oat flour only.

For a vegan version:[tested + included in the book]

1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

3 tablespoons vegan cane sugar

2 tablespoons almond meal

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons ground flax meal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 tablespoons oil

2 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Follow instruction 1 - 4 above mixing dry ingredients together from the oat flour to the cinnamon and whisking wet ingredients in a seperate bowl from the milk to the vanilla.

Let the batter sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. The mixture will be very thick + not pourable.

Spoon into the doughnut molds and lightly even out the tops, or spoon into a gallon sized sealable bag, squeeze the air out + seal, cut a 1/4-inch piece from one bottom corner, and gently pipe the batter into the molds.

Follow instructions 6-10 to finish the doughnuts.

My sincerest apologies for missing National Doughnut Day. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me!

Well I forgive you twenty times over for reals on missing that doughnut day celebration. Maple and sea salt sounds like the dessert combination I've been waiting for and I love that you had a backdoor doughnut giveaway system for dealing with all of the excess. Love that pretty polkadot paper too! :) Also, do you order sweet rice flour from Amazon? I think I'm ready to step up my GF game a bit. (PS- So friggin' excited for your book, Ash)

@Amani - I believe you should be able to, but am not 100% sure. Here is the amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/kqyqqdg Thanks so much!

@Laura - Haha, the giveaway system was total necessity! I can actually find sweet rice flour at two stores around here. I buy the Ener-G brand, as it's the cheapest. If you can't find it at Whole Foods [in the GF section, not typically with the other flours] you can also find that brand on amazon. And thanks for your excitement...means so, so much!! xo

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! These look AMAZING & I SERIOUSLY CAN NOT WAIT for your BOOK to come out!!!!!!! After seeing your recipe for the Cinnamon Cake Donut, I went out and bought a donut pan because I wanted to make it and I am SO GLAD that I did because all of your donuts are phenomenal!!! And you absolutely do not need to apologize for missing National Donut Day because all of your other donut recipes more than makes up for it. :D

@Martine - Yes! You can definitely substitute an all purpose gluten-free flour blend at a 1:1 ratio instead of the oat flour. My favorite is from King Arthur. I also tried Pamela's and liked that as well but was not a fan of the Bob's Red Mill blend. The texture was great but the stronger flavor of the flour [likely from bean flour] was noticeable after baking. Hope this helps!

@Kim C - Love your excitement and so glad you've already been enjoying some doughnuts! Thank you so incredibly much for your support!

@Natasha - You can freeze the baked doughnuts but not with the glaze. I would let them fully cool then wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter then glaze. :)